1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vehicle seat belt webbing retractor, and, in particular, to a retractor including a belt webbing clamp assembly for blocking withdrawal of belt webbing from the retractor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A known seat belt system to restrain a vehicle occupant includes a length of belt webbing wound on a spool of a seat belt webbing retractor. The belt webbing is extensible about a vehicle occupant to restrain the occupant. In the event of a vehicle emergency, the vehicle occupant moves forward in the vehicle relative to the vehicle seat, belt webbing is withdrawn from the spool, and the spool rotates in a belt withdrawal direction. Force is transmitted from the rotating spool to actuate a belt webbing clamp assembly to block the withdrawal of belt webbing from the retractor. If the belt webbing clamp assembly does not block withdrawal of belt webbing and the spool continues to rotate, the force exerted by the rotating spool can damage parts of the retractor.